dimorphic
/dʌɪˈmɔːfɪk
/adjective chiefly Biology
Occurring in or representing two distinct forms: in this sexually dimorphic species only the males have wings...
- In Drosophila, one of the most evident dimorphic traits is represented by the body size, with males being smaller than females.
- This could be tested by comparing winter social systems and degree to which sex ratios are skewed in sexually monomorphic species versus sexually dimorphic species.
- Several pieces of direct and indirect evidence suggest that dimorphic sex chromosomes have evolved from an originally homologous pair of chromosomes.
Derivatives
dimorphism
/ noun ...- I then present a formal model for the evolution of recombination dimorphism on autosomes and on sex chromosomes.
- We used the relative degree of sexual size dimorphism in taxa as an approximate indicator of relative strength of sexual selection in this study.
- Sex chromosomes in M. violaceum were identified by the cosegregation of mating type and chromosome dimorphism and by mating-type-specific markers.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from Greek dimorphos (from di- 'twice' + morphē 'form') + -ic.
- ballgirl
- ballgown
- ball handle
- ball-handler
- ball handling
- ballhawk
- ballhawking
- ball-headed
- ball hitch
- ball hockey
- balliage
- Ballist
- ballista
- Balliste
- ballistic
- ballistically
- ballistic camera
- ballistic electron emission microscopy
- ballistic galvanometer
- ballistician
- ballistic missile
- Ballistic Missile Defense Organization
- ballistic nylon
- ballistic pendulum
- ballistic rocket